Safer Internet Day

Essex Backs ‘Safer Internet Day’ 2018

Grassroots Football Promotes Responsible Technology Use

Safer Internet Day is helping to promote the safe, responsible and positive use of digital technology amongst young people, and Essex County FA Welfare Officer Helen Hever has reinforced the backing of local grassroots football by highlighting a forthcoming workshop at Colchester United FC.

On Tuesday 6th February, Safer Internet Day will promote the slogan “Create, Connect and Share Respect: A Better Internet Starts with You.” The annual celebration is coordinated in the United Kingdom by the UK Safer Internet Centre and hundreds of organisations get involved to help inspire a national conversation about using technology responsibly.

A website at www.saferinternet.org.uk provides resources for children, schools and families so they can explore the role everyone plays in helping to create a better and safer online community. The County FA are reminding all those involved within football to revisit the values of The FA’s Respect Programme, both on the field of play and online. The day also offers the opportunity to highlight The FA’s best practice guidance in relation to social media.

Helen has explained how, as part of the County FA’s safeguarding agenda, a workshop is available for Welfare Officers on Tuesday 20th March at Colchester United FC: “We are proud to be supporting Safer Internet Day. A lot of young people in the UK do much of their socialising within football teams, so this is an important day in the calendar.”

“It’s crucial for us to offer support if they have concerns and to play our part in educating them in the positive ways of using the Internet. This session was extremely well received three years ago at a previous welfare conference, delivered by two police officers who have extensive knowledge of safeguarding on the Internet, covering all aspects.”

Leagues, clubs and coaches can play their part by adding links to support outlets and advice on web pages, Facebook and Twitter. They can also follow The FAs best practice guidance to ensure clubs and leagues manage online environments and communications, properly guaranteeing they are safe for all involved.

Players can be kind and respectful to others online and seek positive and safe opportunities to create, engage and share online. Parents and carers can maintain an open and honest dialogue with their children about their online lives by modelling positive online behaviours themselves, and also by reporting any inappropriate or illegal content they find.

Find out more at www.saferinternet.org.uk, by following @UK_SIC on Twitter and by using the hashtag #SID2018. Further details on the safeguarding workshop in Colchester can be found here, on Twitter @EssexCountyFA and by searching for ‘EssexFootball’ on Facebook.

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